Machine for operating upon shoes



June 28, 1932., L. J. BAZZONI 1,364,791

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Filed Feb. 6, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N1/E NTOR June 28, 1932.

L. J. BAZZONI MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 w w w m Filed Feb. 6, 1928 June 28, 1932. L. J. BAZZONI MACKINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Filqd Feb. 6, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 28, 1932.

L. J. BAZZONI MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Filed Feb. 6, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 28, 1932. J. BAZZONI MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Filed Feb. 6; 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 28, 1932. L. J. BAZZONI 1,864,791

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Filed Feb. 6, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 June 28,1932.

L. J. BAZZQNI MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Feb. 6, 1928 Patented June 28, 1932 UN l TE STATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS J. BAZZONI, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE l MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF N EW JERSEY MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Application filed February 6, 1928. Serial No. 252,361.

This invention relates to machines for operating on leaf blanks and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine particularly adapted for trimming and skiving the margin of a leaf blank formed on the sole of a shoe so as to prepare the blank for attachment to the breast of the heel of the shoe.

In the manufacture of shoes having Louis heels it is customary to cover the breasts of the heels, after the heels have been attached to shoes, with leaf blanks or heel breast covering flaps, each flap or blank being split from the grain side of the heel end of the sole and remaining attached to the sole at the shank portion thereof. The leaf blankislarger than the breast of the heel and commonly is initially of substantiallyuniformthickness throughout most ofits extent. The leaf blank may be trimmed to the outline of the heel breast either before or after it is attached to the breast of the heel. When the leaf blank is trimmed to that outline before cementing the same to the breast of the heel the operator presses the leaf blank against the breast of the heel, marks upon the blank the. outline of the breast and then trims the blank to the marked outline. When the leaf blank is trimmed to the proper outline after it has been cemented to the breast of the heel the operator'moves a hand knife along the breast edges of the heel to trim the flap flush with these edges and then trims the end portion of the flap flush with the top lift of the'heel.

reduce a considerable part of the blank or flap or to preserve the original thickness of the portion of the flap which covers the upper projecting part of the breast of the heel in order to strengthensuch portion. f

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide a machine by the use of which, leaf blanks or flaps may be quickly and economically reduced in thickness, as may be desired, and which at the same time may be used to trim the leaf blank to the outline of the heel breast quickly and uniformly', thus replacing necessarily skilled and time-consuming hand work.

With the above object in view, the illustrated machine, in accordance with a feature of the invention, is provided with a matrix for supporting a blank formed upon a piece of flexible material, such as a leaf blank split q from a sole, and means cooperating with the matrix for thinning the blank at a selected locality. The illustrated machine, which 'is described with reference to the skiving-and trimming of leaf blanks or heel breast coverblank shall be accuratelyoperated upon and to this end, according to another feature of the invention, gages are provided for assisting accurately to position the blank upon the matrix. The matrix in the illustrated machine is a sectional one the parts of which may be adjusted to vary the size of the matrix and thereby to shape heel breast leaf blanks of different sizes.

These and other features of the invention 1 including certain details of construction and combination of parts will be described as embodied in an illustrated machine and pointed out in the/appended claims.

' Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the upper por tion of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portionof the'machine showing a shoe in position 7 of presentation thereto and showing a knife carrier in retracted position," Fig. 3 is a side elevation'of the upper'portion of the machine showing the knife carrier in advanced position;

Fig. 4 is a plan view;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing details of a matrix carrier;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view in side elevation showing details of a knife, presser roll, matrix and associated mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the machine; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the machine taken along line VIIIVIII of Fig. 5 clearly to illustrate the matrix.

The frame of the machine consists of an upper frame member 2 supported upon and bolted to a lower frame member 4, the latter being adapted to stand upon the floor or other suitable foundation, being bolted thereto if desired. The frame members 2 and 4 are hollow and enclose many of the operative portions of the machine.

Formed upon the upper frame member 2 is a guideway 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) for a slide 8, the guideway 6 extending rearwardly and upwardly from the front of the frame member 2 and being inclined to the horizontal at an angle of somewhat less than 30. Mounted upon the slide 8 is a matrix carrier frame 10. Upon either side of the forward portion of the matrix carrier frame 10, and dovetailed therein as at 12 (Figs. 5 and 6) for sliding movement toward and from each other, and transversely of the machine, are a pair of horizontally disposed matrix-adjusting plates 14. Secured respectively to each of the matrix-adjusting plates 14 and constituting in effect continuations of the matrix-adjust ing plates are a pair of matrix carrier plates 16, the same being horizontally disposed and extending toward each other. The two halves of a two-part matrix 18 are mounted respectively upon the matrix carrier plates 16, each half comprising a plate having a formed upper surface with a depression 17 (Fig. 5) at its forward portion and a formed outer edge for determining the shape of that portion of the matrix which itconstitutes and each having a grid-shaped inner edge portion 20 intermeshing with the corresponding grid-shaped portion 20 of the other to permit movement transverse of the machine to ex pand or to contract the matrix 18 for adjustment of the size thereof while maintaining the continuity of the matrix surface. Such adjustment is effected by means of an adj usting screw 22 threaded into the right-hand matrix-adjusting plate 14, the outer portion of the screw 22 being in the form of a bear ing surface whereby the screw is j ournaled in a bearing 24 securely mounted upon the matrix carrier frame 10. The depressions 17 considered as an entirety form a concavity 19 at the forward portion of the surface of the matrix, which cooperates with other elements later to be described to provide a heel-breastcovering flap B which in its broader aspect may be referred to as a leaf blank. The leaf blank is thickest near the central portion of its base and decreases in thickness over a portion of its width from that portion toward its lateral sides. The screw 22 carries a thrust collar and a thrust shoulder engaging the respective ends of the bearing 24, to prevent lengthwise movement of the screw, and also carries upon its outer end a handwheel 26 whereby the screw may be rotated to adjust the right-hand plate 14 toward or from the left-hand plate 14. In order to prevent varying the center line of the matrix 18 when adjusting its size, both halves of the matrix 18 are adjusted simultaneously in opposite directions. A pair of like formed geared members 28 in the form of bell cranks are each pivotally mounted at separated points 30 upon a matrix carrier frame 10,

each member 28 having a pair of geared sectors 32 and 34 (Fig. 4) disposed on the ends of the arms of the bell crank, and each geared member 28 intermeshing with the other through their sectors through their sectors 34, with racks 36 formed in each of the matrix-adjusting plates 14. Adjustment of the right-hand matrix-adjusting plate 14 will rock the right-hand member 28 about its pivotal bearing 30 through the rack 36 of the right-hand matrix-adjusting plate 14 and the sector 34 of the right-hand member 28; the sector 32 of the right-hand member 28 will thus rock the corresponding sector 32 of the left-hand member 28; and the sector 34 of the latter-mentioned member will operate through the rack 36 of the left-hand matrix-adjusting plate 14 to adjust the latter in a direction opposite to the adjustment of a the right-hand matrix-adjusting plate 14.

The matrix has not only a formed upper surface to determine the thickness of the various portions of the finished heel-breast flap or leaf blank B, but also has an edge of desired outline to determine the outline of the finished flap. To this end the outer edge of each half of the matrix 18 is formed to a desired outline, and a sharp edged flexible knife or blade 38 is held against the outer edge of each'of the halves of the matrix 18 by means of clamping strips 39, which are formed approximately to the outlines of the outer edges ofthe respective matrix halves, and which are wedge shaped in cross-section, each having a base resting upon its respective matrix carrier plate 16, an upright inner face for engaging the outer face of the blade 38, and an oblique or downwardly sloping outer face. A plurality of screws 40 are appropriately positioned in each of the matrix carrier plates'16 so that the heads of the screws 40 bear against the outer oblique faces of the clamping strips 39. The downward pressure of the screw heads will force the strips 39 inwardly, the latter being sufficiently flexible 32, and respectively,

to accommodate any inaccuracy of shape with respect tothe outlines of the respective edges of the matrix halves; and the upright inner faces of the strips 39 will thus bear against the outer faces ofthe blades 38 and hold the latter flexed to the respective outlines of the outer edges of the halves or plates of the matrix 18. The blades 38 are slightly longer than the thickness of the outer edges ofthe corresponding matrix halves, so that the sharp edges of the blades 38 extend slightly above the outer edges of the matrix plates and thus slightly above the formed surface of the matrix 18. The blades 38, being separate from the matrix plates, are readily replaceable and may be replaced by others whenever they become dull. N 0 blade is provided across the rear edge of the matrix 18, the rear end of the heel-breast-covering flap or leaf blank B (Fig. 6) being subsequently cut by hand. While the knives or blades 38 are separable from the matrix, it will be=understood that the matrix in its entirety preferably includes the knives or blades 38 which will for convenience be referred to as the marginal knife portions of the matrix. The entire matrix is thus provided with a supporting surface having a concavity 19 and a raised marginal portion.

The heel-breast leaf blank B (Fig. 6) is formed on the rear portion of the sole of a shoe S. In order to present the blank B to the matrix 18 in such position as to insure that the shaped or finished blank B,when smoothly applied to the heel-breast of the shoe S, will register therewith, a gage 42 is carried by each of the matrix-adjusting plates 14. The gages 42 for engaging the shoe to facilitate the correct positioning of the blank B upon the matrix are finger-like members mounted respectively upon r-ods 44'Which extend forwardly from the respective matrixadjusting plates 14, being adj ustably secured therein by set screws 45. The free ends of the gages 42 extend substantially toward each other, leaving a space between them to accommodate the shank of the shoe S, andare mounted for rotation, but held against translatory movement, on their respective rods 44. The rotary movement of the gages 42 is limited by pins 50 extending therefrom and cooperating with recessed collars 48 fixed on the rods 44. Helical springs 46 surrounding the rods 44 urge the respective gages 42 downwardly to a substantially horizontal position, as determined, for each gage, by the engagement of the pin 50 with one of the recessed shoulders of the collar 48. The gages 42 may, however, be elevated above' this limiting position against the force of the springs 46. The limiting position ofthe gages 42 has been described as substantially horizontal, but as a matter of fact these members are so curved as to bring their outer ends slightly above the plane of the rods 44. The free ends frame 10. The shoe S is held by hand in inof the gages 42 are notched as at 52 to engage the edges of the shank of the shoe S, the ends of the gages 42 being beveled to enter the rand crease on either side of the shank. Secured to the forward face of the matrix carrier frame 10 in upright transverse position is an arch-shaped plate 54 having a rounded upper edge 56 adjoining the forward edge of thematrix 18. The blank leaf B maybe smoothly spread over the rounded edge 56 for presentation to the matrix 18. A padded rest 58 (Figs. 1 and 5) for supporting the toe portion of the shoe S is attached to a depending forward portion of the matrix carrier verted position, with the upper toe portion resting upon the padded rest 58; the shank portion of the shoe S is then placed between the finger-like members of the gages 42 in such position as to bring the edge of the heelbreast in line with the ends of the finger-like members. The matrix 18, being adjustable for shoes of different widths, is now adjusted by manipulating the hand wheel 26 to bring the notches of the gages 42 intoengagement with the edges of the shank of the shoe S on either side at the heel-breast line. This serves not only to adjust the width of the matrix 18, but also to center the shoe S with respect thereto. With the toe portion of the shoe S still held against the rest 58, the rear portion is now raised to bring the bottom of the shoe S up against. the arched under edge of the plate 54, thus determining the proper height of the shoe S with relation to the matrix 18, the gages 42 being upwardly yieldable to permit the shoe S thus to be raised. The gages 42 are adjusted a sufficient distance in advance of the forward edge ofthe matrix 18 to position the blank B, when the shoe S is presented in the manner above described, so

that the finished blank B, when smoothly ap-' plied to the. heel-breast, will register therewith. The matrix 18 is so formed as to finish the blank B to conform to the shape of the' heel-breast, or to any desired form in relation to the shape of the'heel-breast.

For shoes of different sizes but of similar style, thesame matrix, adjusted to varying widths, may be employed. The matrix 18 is easily detachable, and for shoes of different styles, matrices of various forms may be substituted.

In order to hold the blank Bdown upon the matrix 18, a forwardly extending holding bar 60, having a rounded depressed forward end 62 for bearing upon the blank, is provided. In order to provide for clearing the; bar 60 from the path of the tool-presently to be described which operates upon the blank B. the bar 60 is movably and yieldably mounted with respect to the matrix carrier frame 10. To this end a horizontally disposed guideway64 (1F ig. 5), extending forwardly and rearwardly, is formed upon the rear portion of the matrix carrier frame 10, and in the guideway 64 is a slide 66 which constitutes a carrier frame for the bar 60. A stop plate 68 is secured to the matrix carrier frame 10 and extends across the forward end of the guideway 64 to limit the forward movement of the slide 66 with respect to the guideway 64, the plate 68 being centrally recessed to permit the bar to extend thereover. Upon the forward end of the slide 66 are raised a pair of separated ears 70, in which is trunnioned the bar 60 as at 72, the major portion of the bar 60 extending forwardly of the trunnion bearing 7 2, whereby the tilting of the bar 60 about the bearing 7 2 will serve to raise and lower the forward or bearing end 62 into and out of work engaging position. The ears 70 extend upwardly to a greater height than that assumed by the forwardly extending portion of the bar 60 in any position, either tilted or horizontal,

which it may assume, and have vertically formed forward edges 74 which serve as a-butments to be engaged by the knife carriage presently to be described for moving the slide 66 rearwardly. Interposed between the upper side-of the slide 66 and the rear end of the bar 60, and held by suitable cupshaped recesses in both members, is a compression spring 78 for urging the rear end of the bar 60 upwardly to cause the forward or work engaging end 62 to bear down upon the blank B and to .hold the latter against the formed surface of the matrix 18. In order to hold the forward end 62 of the bar 60 in raised position above the matrix 18 to permit the insertion of a new blank B, a depending abutment 80 (Fig. 6) is formed on the under side of the bar 60 between the end 62 and the trunnion bearing 72. When the slide 66 is in its forward position against the stop plate '68, the abutment 80 is directly'over and may rest upon the intermediate portion of a lever 82, which has a pivotal bearing 8 f mounted on the stop plate 68, the lever 82 extending forwardly, and its free end 86 resting upon a curved cam-like edge 88 of an upstanding supporting member 90, which has a pivotal bearing 92 in the matrix carrier frame 10 forward of and below the pivotal bearing 84. The cam edge 88 is eccentric with respect to the pivot 92, so that when the supporting member is swung rearwardly, the freed end 86 of the lever 82 rides up on the cam edge 88 and raises the bar 60 through the abutment 80. When thus supported, the end 86 of the lever 82 is above the pivot 84:, and the upper surface of the intermediate portion of the lever 82 slopes downwardly toward the pivot 84. A stop shoulder 94 on the forward end of the cam edge 88, by engaging the end 86 of the lever 82, limits the rearward swinging movement of the member 90. By swinging the p g member 90 forwardly, the Support for the abutment 80 is lowered, and

the bearing end 62 of the bar 60 is urged by the pressure of the spring 7 8 against a blank B upon the matrix 18. A finger piece 98 ex tending from theupper portion of the supporting member 90 permits the operator to 6 swing this member forwardly to lower the blank holding end 62 of the bar 60. A weak spring 100, interposed between the shank of the finger piece 98 and a stud 102 on the matrix carrier frame 10 adjacent the forward end of the guideway 64, tends to urge the supporting member 90 to rearward position. Assuming the slide 66 to be in its forward limiting position and the supporting member 90 swung back to its rearward position for supporting the bar 60, a blank B may be placed upon the matrix 18, and the finger piece 98 then pulled forward by the operator to lower the holding end 62 of the bar 60 upon the blank B. The tension of the spring is not sufficient, because of the compression of the spring 7 8 and the friction of the end 86 of the lever 82 upon the cam edge 88 under the pressure of the spring 78, to re tract the supporting member 90 to its rearward or supporting position. If now the slide 66 be retracted, as will be explained later, the abutment 80 will slide off the sloping upper sur-faceof the lever 82, relieving the above-mentioned spring pressure and its resulting frictional effect, and the spring 100 will draw the member 90 to its rearward or supporting position. When the slide 66 is advanced to its forward limiting position, the abutment 80 will ride up on the sloping upper surface of the lever 82 and will thus return the bar 60 in raised position in readiness for the insertion of a new blank. It will be noted that the tension of the spring 100 is now aided by the friction between the end 86 of the lever 82 and the cam edge 88 in holding the member 90 in its supporting position. In case it is not desired to utilize the full sweep of the cam edge 88 up to the stop shoulder 9 1 in raising the holding end 62 of the bar 60 to uppermost position, an adjustable stop screw 104 is mounted in the matrix carrier frame 10 in a position to limit the rearward swinging movement of the supporting member 90. The forward swinging movement of the supporting member 90 is limited by the finger piece 98 coming into contact with the rear edge of one of the matrix carrier plates 16.

The slide 66 is yieldingly held in its forward limiting position with respect to the matrix carrier frame 10 through a rack 108 (Fig. 5) formed on one side of the slide 66 and meshing with a gear 110 ournaled on a stud mounted on the matrix carrier frame 10, a helical spring 112, concentric with the axis of the gear 110 and having one end se cured to the gear 110 and its opposite end held in fixed relation to the matrix carrier frame 10, serving to impose upon the gear 110 a moment of rotation in a direction to urge the slide 66 forwardly. The guideway 64 is cut away adjacent the gear 110 to permit the latter to mesh with the rack 108. The slide 66 may be retracted againstthe force of the spring 112, and in its movement of retraction it winds up the spring 112 so that the latter, by virtue of its stored-up energy, will be able, upon release of the slide 66, to rotate the' gear 110 to advance the slide 66, through the rack 108 to its forward limiting position. In order to prevent the spring 112 fromimmediately restoring the slide 66 to advanced position, a pawl 114, having a pivotal bearing 116 on the matrix carrier frame 10, is positioned so as to'be able to swing into and out of engagement with the teeth of the gear 110; and a spring 118 compressed between the pawl 114 and an abutment 120 fixed upon th matrix carrier frame 10 tends to hold the pawl 114 in tooth-engaging position to prevent rotation of" the gear 110 in a direction to' advance the slide'66, the pawl 114 be-. ing formed to permit retraction of-the slide- 66 even when in tooth-engaging position." In the normal operation of the machine, the slide 66 is only retracted with respect to the matrix carrier frame 10 when the latter is itself retracted on its guideway 6 by movement of the knife carriage presently to be described. When the matrix carrier frame 10 is thus retracted with respect to the fixed frame 2 of the machine, the slide 66 may be retracted with respect to the matrix carrier frame 10, and because of the pawl 114, the

slide 66 will remain thus retracted. 5. After advancing the matrix carrier frame 10 a certain distance upon its guideway 6, the retracted slide 66 is advanced in its guideway 64 by the spring 112 upon the release of the pawl 114 from the gear 110. Such release is effected by an adjustable abutment screw 122 threaded through aportion of the frame member 2 and acting upon-atail-piece 123 integral with the pawl 114, the screw 122 being positioned in the'path of: the tail piece 123 as the matrix carrier frame 10 is advanced so that the end of the screw 122 will engage the tail piece 123 torock the pawl 114 about its pivot 116 against the pressure of the spring 118.

In the upper frame member 2 and-above the guideway 6 is formed a horizontal forwardly and rearwardly extending guideway 124 (Fig. 2) upon which travels the slide portion 126 of a knife carriage 128 (Fig. 6), the slide portion 126 having agib. The depending forward end 130 of the knife carriage 128 has a recess 132 in its under surface formed to receive a drag knife or cutter 134, which is disposed transversely of the machine with its cutting edge 136 extending rearwardly, so as to operate by retraction of the carriage 128 on the guideway 124. The knife blade 134 is inclined downwardly from its carriage 128, the pathof travel of the knife- 134 being'rectilinear as determined by the guideway 124. Trunnioned for up and down swinging movement about an axle 1338 mounted crosswise in the carriage 128 is aforwardly extending carrier frame 140 fora presser roll 142 of rubber or like material. The roll 142 is employed to press the blank B down upon the matrix 18 so as to cause the blank to conform to the formed surface of the matrix and to cause the marginal portion of the blank to be pressed against the knives or blades 38 of the matrix for assisting in the removing of material from the blank so as to impart to its a desired outline. The knife or cutter 134, when moved progressively along the blank B, which is pressed against the concave matrix 18 by the roll 142 will cooperate with the matrix to trim the blank B to an outline determined by the knife portion of the matrix and, because of the concave shape of the matrix 18, during the trimming operation will produce variations in the thickness in the blank at selected localities.

As above explained, it is sometimes the prac-,

tend more or less beyond the breast edges of theheel. Preferably, but not necessarily,

if the flap isnot trimmed to the outline of the heel breast it will be trimmed so that it will extend only slightly beyond the breast edges of the heel, thereby facilitating the subsequent operation by which the flap is trimmed to the outline of the heel breast,

since, especially in View of the relatively flimsy character of the thin leaf blank or flap, the difiiculty of such trimming is very materially reduced if the flap extends only slightly beyond the breast edges of the heel. In any case, the marginal portions of the flap are reduced, and the flap may be reduced in thickness elsewhere, as may be desired according tothe shape of the concavity of the matrix used. To this end, the roll 142 is journaled' in the forward end of the carrier frame 140 as close to the cutting edge 136 as possible.

The cutting edge 136'is formed by grinding the knife 134 hollow on its upper surface, its under surface being plane. The roll 142 occupies the concavity of the ground portion, of the knife 134, allowing for clearance, and may be adjusted up ordown to accommodate the thickness of the blank B, pressing upon The knife 134 is caused to carriage the latter in the immediate vicinity of the 146 interposed between the carriage 128 and the frame holds the latter up against the ends of the screws 144.

The presser roll 142 is not allowed to roll freely upon the surface of the blank B as the 128 isretracted, but is forcibly rotated, in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6, at a velocity slightly greater than that which it would obtain by rolling freely. In other words, the peripheral velocity of the roll 142 is slightly greater than its velocity of translation so as to feed the covering to the knife and to relieve the pull of the knife against the, blank. A backward slipping action is thus effected between the roll 142 and theblank B, tending to hold the material of the blank 13 against the edge 136; otherwise the material might yield and stretch unduly because of the pull of the knife 134. The forced rotation of the roll 142 is effected by means of a rack 148 depending from the frame member 2 adjacent and parallel to the guideway 124 and above the level of the axle 138; a gear 150 being journaled on the axle 138 and meshing with the rack 148, so that the travel of the carriage 128 will necessarily rotate the gear 150 at a velocity corresponding to the speed of travel of the carriage 1'28; and the rotation of the gear 150 being imparted to the roll 142 by a train of gears 152,

154 and 156, the gear 156 being secured to the roll 142 concentrically therewith, and the intermediate gears 152 and 154 being journaled in the frame 140 and meshing with each other and with the gears 150 and 156 respectively. The gear 150 is made wider than the other gears, to enable it to mesh with both the rack 148 and the gear 152. By employing an even number of gears 150, 152, 154 and 156, the roll 142 will be rotated in the proper direction; and by making the pitch diameter of the gear 156 slightly less than the diameter of the roll 142, the desired back slip of the roll 142 will be effected. It should be noted that as the frame 140 and the gear 150 are journaled upon a common axle 138, the up and down adjustment of the roll 142 will in no way interfere with the proper meshing of the gears. v

r A smoothing member 158 (Fig. 2) is trunnioned upon a pin 160 transversely secured to a bracket 161 fixed to the rear portion of the carriage 128, and extends forwardly and then down, just clearing the roll 142 to the rear thereof; the forward depending portion 155 of the member 158 having a bearing surface 157 grooved transversely with respect to-the machine for resting upon theblank B, the bearing surface 157 sloping rearwardly and upwardly, to cause it to bear mainly upon its forward edge. A tension spring 159 interposed between the axle 138 and the smoothing member 158 constantly urges the latter downward. The bearing surface 157 is held above the surface of the blank B while the latter is being secured under the holding end 62 of the bar 60. During the initial period of the rearward movement of the carriage 128, the surface 157 is let down to bear upon and slidingly to engage the surface of the blank B under the tension of the spring 159; and during the completion of the rearward movement it is again raised up out of bearing contact. This is accomplished by cam] wheels 163 journaled at 161 upon either sideof the smoothing member 158, and riding upon cam tracks formed by the upper edges of a pair of rails 171 secured to the frame member 2 parallel to the guideway 124. The cam tracks are formed with depressions 17.3 to permit the surface 157 to drop to bearing position over the desired portion of the travel of the carriage 128. It will be evident that the smoothing member 158, by its above-described action, will serve to draw the blank B smoothly over the roundededge 56 of the arched plate 54 and to spread it smoothly over the surface of the matrix 18 before the knife 134 reaches the blank B to begin its operation. This smoothing action of the member 158 may be continued during the initial period of the operation of the knife 134, as desired, according to the design of the cam depressions 173.

Rigidly secured to and depending from the carriage 128 at a point rearwardly of the axle 138 is an abutment 165 (Fig. 6) for engaging the abutment 74 of the holding bar carrierslide 66, for retracting the latter as the carriage 128 is moved rearwardly on the cutting stroke of the knife 134 to clear the holding bar 60 from the path of the knife 134, the roll 142 and the smoothing member 158.

The knife carriage 128 is reciprocated on its guideway 124 by a power driven mechanism,'driven by amotor 168 (Fig. 7 mount ed in the lower frame member 4. A worm 17 0 is mounted on a shaft 172 journaled in the lower frame member 4, and the shaft 172 is driven by a belt 17 4 running over pulleys mounted respectively on "the shaft of the motor 168 and the shaft 172. The worm drives a worm wheel 178 keyed to a shaft 180 journaled in the-lower frame member 4. A wrist plate 182 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 180, and maybe coupled thereto by a one-revolution clutch 184. A bell crank lever 186' is journaled in a bearing 188 mounted in the upper framemember 2. The lower arm of the lever 186 is driven'thro'ugh a connecting rod 190 by a wrist pin l92 carried by its the plate 182. A link 196 (Fig. 2) pivoted at one end to the pin 160 and at its opposite end to the upper arm of the lever 186 imparts reciprocatory movement from the lever 186 to the carriage 128. Journaled in the lower frame member 4, and having an end extending through and outside of the frame member 4, is a control shaft 198; to the outer end ofthe control shaft 198 (Fig. 1) is sefcurely fixed an upstanding shipping lever 200, which extends within convenient reach of the operator. Fixed to an intermediate portion of the shaft 198 is a crank arm 202 (Fig. 7). Fulcrumed in a bearing 204 in the lower frame member 4 is an arm 206, one end of which actuates the clutch 184 and the opposite end of which is connected by a link 208 to the crank arm 202. A spring 210 connected to the arm 206 serves to hold the latter in clutch engaging position. By moving the shipping lever clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 7, the crank arm 202 is depressed to rock the arm 206 counterclockwise to trip the clutch 184, and the latter then causes the wrist plate 182 to rotate one revolution with the shaft 180, whereupon the clutch 184 automatically disengages and the wrist plate 182 comes to rest. A treadle 201 (Fig. 7) may be substituted for the shipping lever 200 if desired.

The matrix carrier frame 10 slides freely in its guideway 6, tending because of the slope of the guideway 6 to slide forwardly under its own weight. It is retained in the guideway 6 by engagement with a bumper or forward stop member 212 (Fig. 6) secured to the frame member 2. It is pushed back by hand to bring the matrix 18 with the blank B into operative position with respect to the path of travel of the knife 134, the presser roll 136, and the smoothing member 158. Al-

though the matrix carrier frame guideway 6 is inclined, the matrix-adjusting plates 14 and the matrix carrier plates 16 are, as previously described, horizontally disposed upon the matrix carrier frame 10, so that in what ever position the matrix carrier frame 10 may assume, the plane of the cutting edges of the blades 38 will be horizontal and parallel to the plane of travel of the edge 136 of the knife 134. The matrix carrier is pushed' backward, and therefore upward, to its oper-' ative position, wherein the cutting edges of the blades 38 are brought as close as may be to the path of travel of the edge 136 without actual contact. which might quickly blunt the edges. T0 this end there is provided an adjustable'stop in the form of a block 214 (Fig. 5) slidable transversely of the machine in a guideway 216 mounted in the frame member 2 for carrying the weight of the block 214 and for supporting it against rearward thrust. The forward face 218 of the block 214 is oblique, and an abutment 220having a corresponding oblique rear face is mounted upon the matrix carrier frame-1O in a position to engage the face 218 of the block 214 to limit the rearward movement of the matrixv out through a boss 224 formed in the side wall of the frame member 2. The boss 224 has a downwardly extending slot to receive an adjusting nut 226 through which the outer portion of the rod 222 is threaded; and rotation of the nut 226, which is held in its slot in the boss 224, will move the rod 222 and therefore the adjusting block 214 in or out.

Threaded on the outer end of the rod 222 and outside of the boss 224 is a lock nut 228 for holding the rodv222'in adjusted position. The block 214 being wedge shaped, .due to the obliquity of its abutment face 218, an adjustment to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, will cause it to stop the abutment 220 and therefore the matrix carrier frame 10 at a point lower down on the guideway 6, while an adjustment of the block 214 to the left will cause it to stop the matrix carrier frame 10 at a point higher: up on the guideway 6. Because of the inclination of the guideway 6, a relatively coarse adjustment of the matrix carrier frame 10 along the length of the guideway will effect a relatively fine adjustment of the height of the matrix 18. The use of the wedge-shaped adjusting block 214 and the screw adjustment for the same, in addition to the above-described advantage of the inclined guideway 6, provides an extremely delicate adjustment of the height of the matrix 18 with respect to the path of travel of the knife 134.

In order to prevent the two-part matrix 18 from tending to sag under the pressure of the roll 142 as a result of any looseness of the dovetails 12 in their respective slides, provision ismade for locking the matrix-adjusting plates 14 in their adjusted positions on the matrix carrier frame 10. Such locking is effected automatically by the rearward movement of the matrix carrier frame 10. To this end a gib 230 (Figs. 5 and 6) is interposed between the dovetailed portion 12 of each of the matrix-adjusting plates 14 and 7 the corresponding slideway in the matrix carrier frame 10, the gib 230 having a loose run ning fit so as not to interfere with the adjustment of the matrix 18. Journaled in the matrix carrier frame 10 and disposed normally to the plane of the guideway 6 (Fig. 6) are the stems 232 of eccentric cams 234, each of the latter being coned to provide for tangential engagement with the side of its respective gib 230 opposite the dovetail 12, so that rotation of the cams 234 in one direction will jam the dovetails 12 on their slideways to lock the plates 14, and rotation in.

the opposite direction will unlock the plates 14. The slideways for the dovetails 12 are cut away adjacent to the cams 234 to permit operation of the latter. Clamped upon the lower end of each stem 232 and extending rearwardly with the same inclination as the guideway 6 is a crank arm 236, from the under side of the rearward end of which depends a cam roller 238. Secured to the frame member 2 adjacent to and part way up the guideway 6 are cams 240 (Fig. 5) the oblique faces 242 of which stand respectively in the path of the rolls 238, so that movement of the matrix carrier frame 10, as it approaches its rearward limiting position up the guideway 6, will cause the rolls 238, by contact with the respective cam faces 242, to throw the eccentric cams 234 to locking position, the friction of the cams 234 and stems 232 in their bearings serving to hold these parts locked. In. order to prevent breakage, or obstruction to the movement of the matrix carrier frame 10 up the guideway 6, the cams 240 are yieldingly mounted by journaling each in a bearing 244 fixed to the frame member 2, the free end of each cam 240* being urged into the path of its respective roll 238 by a spring 246 interposed between the cam 240 and a bracket 248 secured to the frame member 2, the compression of the springs 246 being adjustable. Secured to the frame member 2 is another pair of cam members 250 having oblique faces 252 interposed in the path of the respective cam wheels 238 when the matrix carrier frame 10 is advancing down the guideway 6, the cam faces 252 being located below and forward of the cam face 242 and having an inclination opposite thereto, so that they will act on the cam rolls 238 to throw the eccentric cams 234 to unlocking position before the matrix carrier frame 10 reaches its forward limiting position.

In operation, the wedge-shaped block 214 is first adjusted, as above described, to limit the rearward position of the matrix carrier frame 10 at such a point as to bring the cutting edges of the blades 38 very close to the edge 136 of the knife 134. Under proper conditions of temper, the leather of the blank B either will be completely severed, or the severing will be so nearly complete that the leather will readily tear to the desired outline. The carrier frame 10 which has been pushed up its slide so that the block 214 could be adjusted is then allowed to slide down to its forward limiting position, and a shoe S is held inverted with its toe portion against the toe rest 58, and the shank portion between the finger-like members of the gages 42, the heel breast line being in line with these members. The matrix-adjusting plates 14 are then adjusted toward each other to bring the ends of the finger-like members 42 into engagement with the'edges of the shank of the shoe thus adjusting the width of the matrix 18 to the width of the heel breast. The blank 13 is then spread over the matrix 18, and the holding end 62 of the bar 60 is allowed to bear upon the blank B to hold it on the matrix 18 by pulling the finger piece 98 forward. The matrix carrier frame 10, with the shoe S, is then pushed back to its rearward limiting position .and is held there by the operator, Who trips the one-revolution clutch 184 by means of the shipping lever 200. The knife 134 is now automatically moved to cut the blank B, the presser roll 142 and the smoothing member 158 being carried along with the knife 134 in a plane substantially parallel to the supported leaf blank B to perform their respective functions; and during this movement the abutment 165 on the knife carriage 128 engages the abutment faces 74 to move the slide 66 back to clear the holder bar 60 from the path of the knife 134, the roll 142 and the smoothing member 158. The knife carriage 128 is then automatically returned to initial position, and, through the operation of the one revolution clutch 184, the machine comes to rest. T he operator then lets the matrix carrier frame 10 slide forward, which movement releases the slide 66 and allows it to come forward, with the holder bar 60 in raised position, ready for the insertion of the blank B of another shoe.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a concave matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material, and means cooperating with the matrix for trimming portions of the blank to shape the same.

2. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix having a concaved surface for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material, and means cooperating with the matrix'for trimming the blank to impart to the same a desired outline.

3. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of flexible material, and means cooperating with the matrix for thinning the blank at a selected locality.

4. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a support for a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material, and means for removing material from the blank to impart to it a desired outline and to produce variations inthickness of the blank at different localities.

5. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix having'a concaved surface for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of flexible material,

a gage for positioning the leaf blank on the support, and means cooperating with the matrix to remove material from the blank for shaping the same.

6. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a concave matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material, a tool, and means for causing relative movement between the matrix and the tool in a plane substantially parallel to the supported leaf blank to remove material from the blank for shaping the same.

7. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a concave matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material, a cutter, and means for causing relative movement between the matrix and the cutter substantially in the plane of the sheet material to remove material from the blank to impart to it a desired outline and to produce variations in thickness of the blank at different localities.

8. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a. concave matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material, means for engaging the piece to position the blank properly upon the matrix, atool, and means for causing relative movement between the matrix and the tool for trimming the blank toshape the same.

9. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material, means for engaging the piece to position the blank properly upon the matrix, a cutter, and means for causing relative movement between the matrix and the cutter for trimming the blank to impart to it a desired outline and to produce variations in thickness of the blank at different portions thereof.

10. A machine for operating upon a heel breast covering flap formed upon the sole of a. shoe, having in combination, a concaved matrix for supporting the flap, and a cutter co-operating with the matrix for imparting to the flap a desired outline.

11. A machine for operating upon a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, having in combination, a matrix for supporting the blank, a cutter, and means for causing the blank to be traversed by the cutter.

12. A machine for operating upon a heel breast covering flap formed upon a. sole attached to a shoe, having in combination, a concaved matrix for supporting the flap, means for engaging the shoe to facilitate the correct positioning of the flap upon the matrix, and means for imparting to the flap an outline having desired relation to that of the breast of the heel.

13. A machine for operating upon a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, having in combination, means for supporting the shoe and the blank, and means for removing material from the blank to impart to it variations in thickness in different 10- calities.

14. A machine for operating upon a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, having in combination, means for supporting the shoe and the blank, and means for removing material from the blank to change the outline andto cause variations in thickness at different localities. 15. A machine for operating upon a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, having in combination, a concaved matrix for supporting the blank, a gage for the shoe arranged to facilitate the proper placing of the blank on the matrix, and means cooperating with the matrix for shaping the blank. I

16. A machine for operating upon a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a. shoe, having in combination, a support for the blank, a gage for the shoe adapted to facilitate proper placing of the blank on the support, a cutter, and means for causing the blank to be traversed by the cutter.

17. A machine for shaping a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, comprising a matrix, a cutter co-operating with the matrix to form the blank to a shape determined by the matrix so that the shaped blank will conform to the contour of the heel breast, and means for determining the position of presentation of the blank to the matrix so as to cause the shaped blank, when smoothly applied to the breast of the heel of the shoe, to register with the latter.

18. A machine for shaping a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, comprising a matrix, a cutter co-operating with the matrix to form the blank toa shape determined by the matrix so that the shaped blank will conform to the contour of the heel breast, and a gage adapted to engage said shoe for determining the position of presentaion of the blank to the matrix so as to cause the shaped blank, when smoothly applied to the breast of the heel of the shoe, to register with the latter.

19. A machine for trimming a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, comprising a matrix, a drag knife cooperating with the matrix forskiving the marginal portions of the blank and forming the blank to an outline determined by the matrix so that the shaped blank will conform to the contour of the heel breast, and means for so determining the position of presentation of the blank to the matrix as to cause the shaped blank, when smoothly applied to the breast of the heel of the shoe, to register with the latter.

20. A machine for trimming a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, comprising a matrix, a drag knife cooperating with the matrix for skiving the marginal 1 portions of the blank and forming the blank to an outline determined by the matrix so that the shaped blank will conform to the contour of the heel breast, and a gage adapted to engage said shoe for so determining the position of presentation of the blank to the matrix as to cause the shaped blank, when smoothly applied to the breast of the heel of the shoe, to register with the latter.

21. A machine for shaping a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, comprising a matrix having a desired. form in relation to the contour of the heel breast for receiving the blank, a tool cooperating with said matrix to form the blank to the shape determined by said matrix, and means for determining such position of presentation of the blank to said matrix as to cause the shaped blank, when smoothly applied to the heel breast, to register with the latter.

22. A machine for shaping a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, comprising a matrix having a desired form in relation to the contour of the heel breast for receiving the blank, a tool cooperating with said matrix to form the blank to the shape determined by said matrix, and a gage adapted to engage said shoe for determining such position of presentation of the blank to said matrix as to cause the shaped blank, when smoothly applied to the heel breast, to register with the latter.

, 23. A machine for shaping a blank of flexible sheet material, comprising a matrix constructed and arranged to support the flexible blank, and means operable by movement in a. predetermined path and progressively along the blank to co-operate with the matrix to trim the blank on said matrix to shape it to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement in a path inclined to the elfective path of movement ofsaid means from an inoperative position removed from the path of said means to an operative position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said means. 24:. A machine for shaping a blank of flexible sheet material, comprising a matrix constructed and arranged to support the flexible blank, a cutter operable by movement in a predetermined path and progressively along the blank to co-operate with the matrix to trim the blank on said matrix to shape it to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement in a path in clined to the efiective path of movement of said cutterfrom an inoperative position removed from the path of said cutter to an operative position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said cutter, and means for limiting the movement of said matrix to determine the operative position thereof.

V 25. A machine for shaping a blank of flex ible sheet material, comprising a matrix for supporting the flexible blank and having a marginal knife portion, and means operable by movement in a predetermined path and progressively along the blank to co-operate with the matrix for shaping the blank on said matrix to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement from an inoperative position removed from the path of said means to an operative position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said means.

26. A machine for shaping a blank of flexible sheet material, comprising a matrix for supporting the blank and having a marginal knife portion, means operable by movement in a predetermined path and progressively along the blank to co-operate with the matrix for shaping the blank on said matrix to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement from an inoperative position removed from the path of said means to an operative position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said means, and means for limiting the movement of said matrix to determine the operative position of said matrix.

27. A machine of the class described, comprising a concave matrix for supporting a blank of flexible sheet material formed upon a sole attached to a shoe, and a knife operable by movement in a predetermined path and progressively along the blank to co-operate with the matrix for shaping the blank on said matrix to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement from an inoperative position removed from the path of said knife to an operative position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said knife.

28. A machine of the class described, comprising a concave matrix for supporting a blank of flexible sheet material formed upon a sole attached to a shoe, a knife operable by movement in a predetermined path and progressively along the blank to co-operate with the matrix for shaping the blank on said matrix to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement from an inoperative position removed from the path of said knife to an operative position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said knife, and means for limiting the movement of said matrix to determine the operative position thereof.

29. A machine for shaping a blank of flexible sheet material, comprising a matrix for supporting the blank and having a marginal knife portion, and a knife operable by movement in a predetermined path and progressively along the blank to shape the blank on said matrix to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for move ment from an inoperative position removed from the path of said knife to an operative ieo position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said knife.

30. A machine for shaping a blank of flexible sheet material, comprising a matrix for supporting the blank and having a marginal knife portion, a knife operable by movement in a predetermined path and progressively along the blank to shape the blank on said matrix to a form determined by the matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement from an inoperative position removed from the path of the knife to an operative position at rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said knife, and means for limiting the movement of said matrix to determine the operative position of said matrix.

31. A machine for shaping a blank, com prising a support for the blank, means operable by movement in a predetermined rectilinear path to shape to desired form the blank on said support, said support being mounted for movement in a predetermined path away from the path of said shaping means to permit placing the blank upon said support and for movement thereafter to an operative position of rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said shaping means, and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of said support to determine the operative position of said support, the respective paths of said shaping means and of said support being mutually inclined, whereby a relatively coarse adjustment of said stop will effect a relatively fine adjustment of the operative position of said support with respect to the path of said shaping means.

32. A machine for shaping a blank, comprising a matrix having a concavity for supporting the blank, means operable by movement in a predetermined rectilinear path and co-operating with the matrix to shape to desired form the blank on said matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement in a predetermined path away from the path of said shaping means to permit placing the blank upon said matrix and for movement thereafter to an operative position of rest wherein'the blank is presented to the action of said shaping means, and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of said matrix to determine the operative position of said matrix, the respective paths of said shapingmeans and of said matrix being mutually inclined, whereby a relatively coarse adjustment of said stop will effect a relatively fine adjustment of the operative position of said matrix with respect to the path of said shaping means.

33. A machine for shaping a blank, comprising a support for the blank, a knife operable by movement in a predetermined rectilinear path to shape to desired form theblank I on said support, said support being mounted for movement in a predetermined path away from the path of said knife to permit placing the blank upon said support and for movement thereafter to an operative position of rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said knife, and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of said'support to determine the operative position of said support, the respective paths of said knife and of said support being mutually inclined, whereby a relatively coarse adjustment of said stop will effect a relatively fine adjustment of the operative position of said support with respect to the path of said knife.

34;. A machine for shaping a blank, comprising a matrix having a concavity for, supporting the blank, a knife operable by movement in a predetermined rectilinear path and cooperating with the matrix to shape to desired form the blank on said matrix, said matrix being mounted for movement in a predetermined path away from the pathof said knife to permit placing the blank upon said matrix and for movement thereafter to an operative position of rest wherein the blank is presented to the action of said knife, and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of said matrix to determine the operative po sition of said matrix, the respective paths of said knife and of said matrix being mutually inclined, whereby a relatively coarse adjustment of said stop will effect a relatively fine adjustment of the operative position of said matrix with respect to the path of said knife.

35. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix for receiving a piece of flexible material to be shaped, a tool, means for producing relative movement between the tool and the material to cause the tool to traverse the flexible material to shape the same, a presser for holding the material upon the matrix, and means responsive to the relative movement between the tool and the matrix for withdrawing the presser in order to avoid contacting the presser with the tool during the shaping operation.

36. In a machine for shaping a flexible blank, a matrix, a tool for cooperating with said matrix to shape a blank, said tool and said matrix being mounted for movement relatively to each other progressively to present said tool to the blank supported on said matrix, a member for holding the blank upon said matrix, and means for maintaining said holding member stationary in relation to said matrix during the initial period of relative movement between said too-l and said matrix and for causing said holding member to move relatively to said matrix during a later period of said relative movement of said tool and said matrix to clear said member from contacting with the tool during the blank shaping operation.

37. In a machine for shaping'a blank, a support, a tool for cooperating with said support to shape a blank, said tool being mounted for movement relative to said support progressively to present said tool to a blank supported on said support, a member for holding the blank upon said support, means for maintaining said holding member stationary in relation to said support during the initialperiod of movement of said tool and for causing said holding member to move relatively to said support during a later period of said movement of said tool to clear said member from the path of said tool, and means forreturning said member to initial position after the withdrawal of said tool.

38. In a machine for shaping a blank, a support, a tool for cooperating with said support to sh ape a blank, said tool being mounted for movement relative to said support progressively to present said tool to a blank supported on said support, a member for holding the blank upon said support, resilient means for urging said member toward said support to hold the blank against said support, means for maintaining said holding member stationary in relation to said support during the initial period of movement of said tool and for causing said holding member to move relatively to said support during a later period of movement of said tool to clear said member from the path of said tool, means for returning said member to initial position after the withdrawing of said tool, and means operable by the return movement of said member for raising said member from the surface of said support in opposition to said resilient means to permit the insertion of a new blank.

39. In a machine for shaping a blank, a support, a tool for cooperating with said support to shape the blank, said tool being mounted for movement relative to said support progressively to present said tool to a blank supported on said support, a member for holding the blank upon said support, means for mounting said member to maintain said member stationary in relation to said support during the initial. period of movement of said tool, and to permit said member to partake of the movement of said tool during a later period of movement of the tool to clear the member from the path of said tool, and means for causing said member to partake of the movement of said tool during said later period.

&O. In a machine for shaping a blank, a frame, a support mounted on said frame, a member yieldably mounted on said frame normally to extend over said support, said member being constructed and arranged when in said normal position to bear against a blank upon said support for holding the blank, and means for moving said member from said normal position to clear it from the path of a tool operating upon the blank.

41. A. matrix, comprising a plate having a surface of desired form and an edge of desired outline, a flexible blade having a sharp edge, and means for holding said blade against said ed e of said plate and flexed to the outline thereof, tie sharp edge of said blade extending above the edge of said plate and above said formed surface.

42. An adjustable matrix, comprising a pair of plates, each formed to determine the shape of that portion of the matrix which it constitutes and each having a grid-shaped portion inter-meshing with the grid-shaped portion of the other to permit relative movement between said plates to expand or to contract the matrix for adjustment of the size thereof while maintaining the efiective supporting surface of the matrix, and means for maintaining said plates in adjusted relation to each other.

43. An adjustable matrix, comprising a pair of plates, each formed to determine the shape of that portion of the matrix which it constitutes and each having a grid-shaped portion inter-meshing with the grid-shaped portion of the other to permit relative movement between said plates to expand or to contract the matrix for adjustment of the size thereof while maintaining the effective supporting surface of the matrix, and means for effecting said adjustment and for maintain ing said plate in adjusted relation to each other.

44:. An adjustable matrix, comprising a pair of plates, each formed to determine the shape of that portion of the matrix which it constitutes and each having a gridshaped portion intermeshing with the grid-shaped portion of the other to permit relative movement between said plates to expand or to con tract the matrix for adjustment of the size thereof while maintaining the effective sup porting surface of the matrix, means for maintaining said plates in adjusted relation to each other, and means for locking said plates in adjusted position.

45. In a machine for shaping a blank, a matrix of adjustable size for receiving the blank, means for adjusting the size of said matrix, a tool for cooperating with said matrix to shape the blank, means for supporting said matrix and said tool to permit relative movement therebetween to and from a position of cooperation between said matrix and said tool, and means operable upon relative movement of said supporting means to said cooperative position to lock said adjusting means.

l6. In amachine for shaping a blank, a matrix of adjustable size for receiving the blank, means for adjusting the size of said matrix, a tool for cooperating with said matrix to shape the blank, means for supporting said matrix and said tool to permit relative movement therebetwee-n to and from a position of cooperation between said matrix and said tool, and means operable upon relative iso movement of said supporting means to said cooperative position to lock said adjusting means and operable upon reverse relative movement to unlock said adjusting means.

47. In a machine for shaping a blank, a support, a pair of members of a two-part expansible matrix, each of said members being mounted for movement on said support 1n directions to and from the other to determine the size of the matrix, means for adjusting the position of one of said members along said support, and connecting means between said members and separate from said adjusting means and operable by the adjustment of the one said member for adjusting the position of the other saidmember;

48. In va machine for shaping a blank a support having a guideway, a pair of slides movable in said guideway, a member ofa two-part expansible matrix carried by each of said slides, the size of the matrix being determined by the relative position of said members toward andfrom each other along said guideway, a rack carried by each of said slides and operable in the direction of movement thereof, a pair of intermeshing geared members each pivoted in fixed relation to said support and each intermeshing respectively with one of said racks, and means for adjusting the position of one of said slides along said guideWay to adjust the size of the matrix, the adjustment of one of said members eflecting the adjustment of the other through said racks and said intermeshing gearedmembers.

49. In a machine for shaping a blank, a

support having a guideway, a pair of slides movable in said guideway, a member of a two partexpansible matrix carried by each of said slides, the size of the matrix being determined by the relative position of said members toward and from each other along said guideway, a rack carried by each of said slides and operable inthe direction of movementthereo-f, a pair of intermeshing geared members each pivoted in fixed relation to said support and each intermeshing respectively with one of said racks, means for adjusting the position of one of said slides along said guideway to adjust the size of the matrix, the adjustment of one of said members effecting the adjustment of the other through said racks and said intermeshing geared members, and a gage for determining the adjustment ofsaid matrix.

50. A machine for operating upon a heel breast leaf blank formed upon the sole of a shoe, having in combination, a two-part expansible matrix, means for expanding and contracting said matrix to adjust the size thereof, a gage for the shoe adapted tofacilitate proper adjustment of the size of said matrix, and means for operating upon the blank on said matrix. 1

51. In a machine of the class described, a matrix having an effectively continuous concave surface constructed and arranged to supportedon said surface when the latter is at rest to co-o-perate with the matrix in shaping the blankto a form determined by said ma trix, and a positively driven yieldable presser roll movable with said tool for pressing the blank against said matrix.

52. In a machine of the class described, a matrix having an effectively continuous concave surface constructed and arranged to support a blank of flexible sheet material,a tool movable progressively along the blank supported on said surface when the latter is at rest to co-operate with thematrix in shaping the blank to a form determined by said matrix, and a positively driven yieldable presser roll movable with said tool for pressing the blank against said matrix, said roll being adjustable toward and from said matrix to vary the pressure which it exerts upon the blank.

53. In a machine of the class described, a matrix having an effectively continuous concave surface constructed and arranged to support a blank of flexible sheet material, a tool movable progressively along the blank supported on said surface when the latter is atrest to co operate with the matrix in shaping the blank to a form determinedby said matrix, a yieldable presser roll movable with said tool for pressing the blank against said matrix, and means for rotating said roll to cause the bearing surface thereof to urge the blank in a direction opposite to the pull of the tool upon the blank. I

543 A machine of the class described having, in combination, a concave matrix comprising a raised marginal portion for supporting a leaf blank attached to a shoe, and means cooperating with the matrix for trimming the blank to shape the same.

55. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material and having a marginal knife portion positioned against movement relatively to the matrix, and means cooperating with the matrix to trim the blank to impart to it a desired outline.

56. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material and having a marginal knife portion, and means cooperatingwith the matrix to remove material from the blank for imparting to it a desired outline and to produce variations in thickness of the blank at different localities.

57. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a matrix for supporting a leaf blank formed upon a piece of material and having a marginal knife portion, and a cutter mounted for movement relatively to 

